If, on the other hand, we suppose this exercise of God's power to be mentioned with a view to awe the Israelites into submission, it may well be interpreted in that view. The whole nation, both of Israel and Judah, placed an undue reliance on their relation to God, and could not conceive that their enemies should ever be suffered finally to prevail against them. A remarkable instance of this occurred in the clays of Zedekiah, king of Judah. The Chaldeans besieged him in Jerusalem : but, on Pharaoh's coming from Egypt to succour him, the Chaldeans raised the siege. This departure of the
f Gen. xvii. 1. s Ps. xxix. 11. h Ps. xxviii. 8.
1 Isai. xxv. 4. k Deut. xxxii. 36.
1 2 Kings xiii. 7, 17—19, 25.
Chaldean army raised the confidence of Zedekiah, that he had no just ground for fear. But Jeremiah was commanded to tell him, that the Egyptian army should soon return to their own land ; that the Chaldeans should immediately resume the siege ; and that, " though he had smitten the whole army of the Chaldeans, so that there remained none but wounded men amongst them, yet should they, the wounded soldiers, rise up every man in his tent, and burn Jerusalem with firem."
This latter interpretation of the words seems countenanced by the menace which has been before mentioned ; where the prophet says, " Seek ye the Lord, lest he break forth like fire in the house of Joseph, and devour it, and there be none to quench it in Beth-el."]
According to this twofold view of the character of Jehovah, we must state,
II. The ends for which it is adduced —
And,
1. As a warning to those who seek him not —
[To every creature under heaven must we declare, that " God is very greatly to be feared :" " Forasmuch as there is none like unto thee, O Lord : thou art great, and thy name is great in might: who would not fear thee, O God of nations11?" If he is " able to save, he is able also to destroy." In what- ever fortresses any be entrenched, " their refuges of lies shall be swept away, and the flood of Divine vengeanee shall over- flow their hiding-place0." They may in their own conceit " make a covenant with death and hell;" but " their covenant with death shall be disannulled, and their agreement with hell shall not stand : when the overflowing scourge shall pass through, they shall be trodden down by itp." What is said in relation to Moab may be spoken in reference to all who cast off the fear of God ; " they shall be trodden down by him, even as straw is trodden down for the dunghill : and he shall spread forth his hands, as he that swimmeth spreadeth forth his hands to swim ; and he shall bring down their pride, together with the spoils of their hands : and the fortress of the high fort of thy walls shall he bring down, lay low, and bring to the ground, even to the dustq."
To those, then, who are living without God in the world, I would suggest this awful consideration : God is " of great
m Jer. xxxvii. 5 — 10. n Jer. x. 6, 7.
0 Isai. xxviii. 15, 17. p Isai. xxviii. 18.
i The image of a swimmer advancing himself, whilst with his hands he irresistibly sweeps away the waters, beautifully illustrates God's advancing bis own glory in the destruction of all his enemies.